You may want to invest in a locking gas cap!

You may want to invest in a locking gas cap!
By Terry Knight - Record-Bee outdoors columnist
www.recordbee.com
Posted: 05/31/2012 10:56:12 PM PDT[/i][/b]

Who would have thought that if you parked your vehicle and boat trailer at the Fifth Street Ramp in Lakeport that you would have gas stolen from your truck while out fishing?

That's exactly what happened to me Tuesday. I filled my truck on the way to the boat ramp, launched my boat, and left my truck parked near the Lakeport Yacht Club.

When I returned two hours later my gas tank was empty. Approximately 20 gallons of gasoline were taken, which adds up to more than $80.

The same thing happened to Mike Rothstein of Kelseyville last week. He also had his truck tank emptied while it was parked near the Yacht Club. Whereas this has happened at other boat ramps around the lake it rarely happens at Library Park in Lakeport.

What is unusual in the theft is that the ramp and park are regularly patrolled by the Lakeport Police, who do a great job. The lesson is to make sure you have a locking gas cap and to park near other vehicles. I blame it on the high price of gas and on the poor economy. Any fisherman who has experienced a gasoline theft should contact local law enforcement officials and file a police report.

On the fishing scene, Clear Lake will be a busy place this weekend. WON BASS will hold a two-day pro/am bass tournament and the Paradise Bow Club will hold its annual carp shoot Saturday and Sunday. The WON BASS tournament will go out of Konocti Vista Casino and the weigh-in starts at 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The bow fishing tournament goes out of Natural High (located next to the Fifth Street Ramp in Lakeport).

The bass fishermen will find the fishing has tightened up a bit as many of the bass have spawned and moved back into the deeper water. The most productive lure has been a Senko rigged 'Wacky" style, which means a size 1/0 hook is stuck through the center of the plastic worm. The Senko is either dropped in the pockets, skipped beneath a dock or worked over the submerged rocks. Jigs and swimbaits are also working.

Some of the better areas have been Konocti Bay, Jago Bay, the State Park, Lakeside County Park, and the docks north of Lakeport. The docks along the Nice-Lucerne shoreline are also giving up a few fish.

Aquatic weeds are starting to reach the surface in many areas, which means targeting the bass will be a challenge.

Bank fishermen continue to catch bass and an occasional crappie or catfish off the docks at Redbud Park and at Library Park in Lakeport. The good news is some of the crappie have been huge, some weighing as much as 3 pounds.

Weather will be the primary factor for the bow fishermen. If it's hot and sunny with no wind, the action should be good. The tournament should draw more than 100 boats. Bow fishermen are cautioned that it's illegal to shoot a bow within the confines of the Clear Lake State Park and the Anderson Marsh State Park. However, they can shoot in Cache Creek. At the Clear Lake State Park, there are buoys marking the off-limits areas. The park borders include Little Quercus Point and south to Doran Bay. Both park rangers and the Department of Fish and Game wardens will be patrolling by boat over the weekend.

Reports out of Indian Valley Reservoir show the crappie action has been excellent and even the bank fishermen are scoring on crappie weighing up to 2 pounds. Trout action has been good for trollers working the middle of the lake.

Lake Pillsbury is kicking out a few trout and the bass action is rated as good. At Upper Blue Lake, the trout action has slowed but the bass fishing has improved. No local waters are on the trout-stocking schedule for the next two weeks.